Chicago authorities say nine people arrested on sex trafficking charges enslaved girls as young as 12.Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez on Wednesday announced the results of a long-term undercover investigation.

The first human cases of West Nile virus in 2011 have been confirmed by Illinois health officials. One case was reported in southern Illinois, another in Cook County.Melaney Arnold is a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The city of Chicago could be near the end of a five-year legal battle for control of a former industrial site with potential to help form a 24-acre park. If an eminent-domain settlement holds up, the land could be an asset for a Mexican-American area of the Southwest Side.

A new online database lets people to see who has outstanding warrants in Cook County.Sheriff Tom Dart said there are about 44,000 people in Cook County who have outstanding warrants. The new online database, he hopes, will help the office get some tips on the whereabouts of those people."

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says the county is in deep financial trouble. She said the county is running a major deficit not just through this year, but also into the next fiscal year.